BROOKSHIRE (Covering Katy News)—Three Brookshire City Council incumbents lost re-election bids Saturday, according to unofficial results tallied by the Waller County Elections Office.
In the Position 3 race, incumbent Kim Branch lost to challenger Eileen McDade, an insurance broker. McDade receivedd 337 votes, 66 percent, while Branch drew 174, 34 percent.
Branch was first elected to city council in 2008 and has been repeatedly re-elected since. She is the wife of Mayor Darrell Branch.
“Thank you for letting me serve Brookshire for 16 years,” Branch said in a social media post on Saturday night. “It’s been a pleasure.”
In the Position 4 race, incumbent Amanda Neuendorf, a teacher, lost to challenger Robert Richards, who is retired. Richards received 322 votes, or 64 percent, while Neuendorf drew 150 or 29 percent.
Ruth Rodriguez received 39 votes, or 8 percent.
In the Position 5 race, incumbent Jeremiah Hill, a consultant, lost to challenger Eric Green, an internet technology professional.
Green drew 346 votes, or 67 percent, while Hill drew 172 votes, or 33 percent.
Hill was seeking his second term on the council. He defeated Green in the 2022 election.
Both Branch and Hill had served as mayor pro tem in recent years. Neuendorf nominated Hill for mayor pro tem following their 2022 election. However, Branch objected, citing concerns about Hill’s experience in city government affairs. She nominated herself for the position, and the council had a tie vote on the matter. Mayor Darrell Branch had to decide the matter. He voted in favor of his wife.
As of 2023, when it was time to select a mayor pro tem—who serves a one-year term—concerns about Hill’s experience had been addressed. The council had voted both Hill and Neuendorf onto the Brookshire Economic Development Board. Hill became board president. Hill was nominated and approved as mayor pro tem.
Darrell Branch was re-elected mayor in 2023, defeating former Mayor Eric Scott in a rematch of their 2019 campaign.